News

Vienna and the Baptist Union of Austria have been hosting several international meetings this spring. From 11-14 May it was EBM International (EBMI) that brought its Mission Council to Vienna. Walter Klimt, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Austria and his team once again showed wonderful hospitality, this time to EBM International delegates who had gathered from around the world.

This story features the work of one of the EBF member bodies, the Baptist Union of Wales. Wales was once part of the industrial heartland of the UK and had thriving Baptist and other nonconformist churches. Now both the nation and the churches face the challenges of post-industrial decline and rural depopulation. The Baptist Union of Wales has sought to face up to these challenges with courage and vision, and the following is just one story of the signs of renewal and hope that the Union is seeing in these days.

The Rev Dr Arthur Brown has been appointed to the role of Regional Leader for BMS World Mission, taking over from Philip Halliday in the Europe, Middle East and North Africa region. His term in this new role will start on Monday 18th September.

Lise is from Norway. She worked as the Mission Coordinator for the Youth Department and the Baptist Union of Norway from 2001 till 2009. Since January 2015 she has been working as the Mission Director. She also served in the EBF Youth Committee in the beginning of the 2000s.

The Baptist family, both here and around the world, has reacted to the news that Dr Kang-San Tan will take over from David Kerrigan as BMS General Director this year with a sense of confidence and affirmation. The appointment has been called “bold and creative”. Leaders of key Baptist partners sent the following messages in response to the announcement.

The tradition of celebrating Earth Day on April 22 is one of the fruits of "environmental awakening" in the end of the 1960s. Started in 1970 in the United States, it has grown into an international movement with partners in 196 countries. This year's Earth Day is focusing on environmental and climate literacy.

This year our churches in East and West both celebrate the same day for Easter. It’s a powerful sign of our unity in the faith of the Risen Christ. I write to wish our EBF family the joy of the Risen Christ this Easter time.

The Hungarian Baptist Deaf Church has recently started to enter the international (European) arena with its ministry. Their aim is to increase awareness in other European countries, too, of the special needs and opportunities for ministering to people, who are deaf or hard of hearing.

After many months of preparation, planning and prayer, the EBF Younger Leaders’ Programme TRANSFORM held its first meeting in Vienna, Austria, from 15-18 March. Present in Vienna were six men and five women who had been identified by their Baptist Unions or Conventions in Armenia, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Lebanon, Turkey and the International Baptist Convention.